‘Agitation Fatigue’ Jadavpur University VC On Month’s Leave

Kolkata: Jadavpur University vice-chancellor Suranjan Das has gone on a month’s leave to recuperate from “agitation fatigue”. Chancellor and governor Keshari Nath Tripathi has approved his application.

VC Suranjan Das, who had faced as many as four demonstrations over students’ election in the past six months, perceived as one of the most liberal VCs who believes in propagating democracy on the campus and holds dialogues with students, said his health had deteriorated after the last gherao, which lasted more than 35 hours.

His statement gave rise to speculation that Das, who along with several senior JU officials had been confined to his cabin over various demands on several occasions, seemed displeased with the slew of protests on the campus. Das had even earlier said that if need be, he would not hesitate to step down.

The last agitation was held in mid-January when students demanded that Das revoked the government order to rename the students’ union as students’ council and announced a date for the elections. On failing to get a nod from the V-C, the students staged a demonstration, confining Das to Arobindo Bhavan, the main administrative building overnight.

As the gherao continued, Das fell ill twice, following which he had to be given medicines. Only when the executive council agreed to take the demands forward by forming a committee to negotiate the matter and thereafter, placing the recommendations before the government that the gherao was called off.